09' Summer Camp-Durango,CO.

A couple of months ago I started serving in the youth ministry of my church. I am so lucky and blessed to be able to do this alongside my great friend Genni. Together we serve as small group leaders for freshman and sophmore girls that are in high school. We will be with these girls all the way until their senior year. It has been an awesome experience to get to know these girls and be a part of their lives in order to encourage and support them spiritually,emotionally, and even physically through their high school years. For me it was a period of time where I had the most temptation and had multiple forks in the road in which I had to decide which one to take. I wish I had a mentor or someone older who had been there and done that to hold my hand through those years. Genni and I hope to be that kind of encouragement to these girls.

Last week we got the opportunity to join these great group of kids to summer camp in the wonderful state of Colorado. We all crammed into two vans and a Tahoe and trekked our way to Durango, CO. The road trip was full of belly laughs, long naps, and great stories were shared all around. During the trip I learned some great vocabulary that made me realize how old I really am. But hanging out with these girls and guys for a week I feel I am caught up on all the young lingo! For example, I learned that "epic" is the new word for "cool". The mountains were so epic. And if something is not cool, then it's an epic fail. Also, "beast" is the new word to describe someone who is good at something. For example, if your good at rock climbing your a beast or your beastin'. So if anyone in our group excelled at any one of our activities they were automatically entitled as beasts. Those are the only two words that come to mind, but I definetly feel prepared for the new school year. I'am gonna be the coolest teacher! That's how I roll yo!

The week was full of daily activities. On Day 1 we rock climbed and rappeled down cliffs. These were no man made rocks let me tell you! Day 2 we hiked up and down a mountain that felt like it lasted all day! It really was about an 8hr. hike. No joke. One of our girls even got altitude sickness while being up there. Before the hike we were told that even old people could do this particular hike which made us comfortable. We even saw old people during the hike! Then, when we finally finished the climb down they told us that it was the most challenging hike they had available. SAY WHAT?!?! They failed to tell us that part in the beginning. Who cares if old people can do the hike? We're from Houston and no where used to that kind of exertion on such low levels of oxygen. I love to hike, but this particular hike wiped me out. I will have to think twice next time I think about hiking again. I know what questions to ask for next time. The kind of people who hike it will not be one of them and I'am not even old. On the last day we white water rafted. Unfortunatly, I have no pictures of that adventure as they warned us that all of our possessions would get wet. :(

We had a great time! We saw God displayed in his great creation and he became so evident in the work he was doing in the hearts of the kids and even in ourselves. I was so humbled and blessed to be able to witness and be involved in one of our girls come to Christ! Her hunger for the Lord was so evident! I loved it! That was one of the many highlights of the trip. I personally experienced Christ that week just being in his presence up in those mountains. You can't but just be in awe of his wonderful masterpiece. And feel so blessed that the God of all creation, the one who created those beautiful mountains and took the time to put so much detail in the gorgeous flowers considers little me as his daughter. He loves us so much he sent his Son to die on the cross. He made this land for us! Those things don't even compare to the kind of love he has for us!

Thanks to all the girls who came with us to camp this year! Thanks for opening up to us and allowing us to be a part of your lives. I've got so many pics to share! Most of them are from the hike because when your hiking and climbing for 8hrs. you have nothing else to do but talk to God and those around you and try to catch your breath and enjoy the scenery and take pictures in awe. The songs I chose to accompany the slide show I thought were very fitting. Enjoy! I'am off to continue to catch up on sleep and let my body heal from all the workout our trip involved. The combination of no sleep and long hours of daily exertion has got be on hibernation mode in my quiet bed!

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